EU free movement and discrimination

In 2009, with support from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, the AIRE Centre launched a project to combat discrimination against EU migrants (and family members of EU migrants) of minority ethnicity in the UK. Through our advice work, we noticed that significant numbers of people in this group suffered discrimination. Often, the authorities would fail to recognise that they held EU citizenship or fail to recognise the legal significance of their EU citizenship, in ways that were directly or indirectly discriminatory. This can have a significant impact on their ability to access social assistance and social security benefits, their residence rights, or their rights as prisoners.

The project involves giving advice to individuals - and organisations assisting individuals - who fall within this category. It also involves undertaking higher-level advocacy, such as petitions to the European Parliament, communications to the European Commission and third-party interventions in domestic cases.